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* '''Best Beginners Shoe'''. [[Saucony Kinvara]] is a great shoe if you're [[Starting to run]]. It's light, comfortable, and reasonably cushioned. It's also a fairly easy shoe to find due to its popularity.
* '''Best Transition Shoe''': [[Saucony Kinvara]]. If you're moving away from a heavy, over-engineered shoe like the [[Asics GT 2000]], then the Kinvara is a great halfway house on way to one of the shoes below. It's useful to make changes gradually in order to let your body and biomechanics adapt. It will also help you get a feel for what direction you'd like to go – minimalist, optimal, or [[Maximalist]]. You may find that like me, you end up with several shoes in different categories for different lengths or types of run.
* '''Best Maximalist Shoe''': [[Hoka Clifton]]. This is by far the best [[Maximalist]] (minimum drop/maximum cushioning) shoe available. It's remarkably light and remarkably cushioned. So far, nothing else comes close. * '''Best Optimal Shoe''': [[New Balance RC5000v2Nike Zoom Streak LT]]. There are lots of great optimal running shoes, which provide just enough cushioning with light weight and minimal frills. The RC5000v2 is a stunning shoe, providing more Streak LT doesn't have the best cushioning for its -to-weight ratio, but it has a shape that's closer to the human foot than any other most running shoes and it's one of the longest lasting shoes I've testedfound. I still love Until recently, my favorite was the [[Asics Gel Hyper Speed]], which is a great shoe but doesn't last as long as the Streak LT, nor is its shape as good. The [[Nike Zoom Streak LTNew Balance RC5000v2]]is a stunning shoe, providing more cushioning for its weight than any other I've tested, but it's hard to find and many runners want a bit more shoe. Other shoes to consider should include the [[Puma Faas 100 R]], and [[Pearl Izumi EM Road N0]], but the RC5000v2 is even better.* '''Fastest Shoe''': [[New Balance RC5000]]. The original RC5000 is amazingly light, offering just enough cushioning to make it efficient. It's the fastest shoe I've tested, and it would be my first choice for a fast marathon. It's hard to find, as is its successor the [[New Balance RC5000v2]], but if you can find it, it's well worth it.
* '''Best Minimalist Shoe''': [[Merrell Trail Glove]]. I recommend the trail glove for road running in spite of the 'trail' moniker. It's not a fast shoe by any means, but it's comfortable and will last well.
* '''All Terrain Shoe'''. I don't generally review trail running shoes, but check out the [[Hoka Mafate]] if you're after a shoe with remarkable abilities on a wide range of surfaces. If you want a Hiking Boot, then I love the [[Hoka Tor Ultra]].
{{:Shoes-table}}
=How Long Will They Last?=
There are a lot of variables in how long a running shoe will last, involving both the runner and the shoe. The 'longevity' field in my table can be used as a very rough guide, but don't read too much into the value. You'll need to understand your running style to understand how long a shoe is likely to last for you.
* A runner that lands harder will wear out their shoes more quickly.
* If the landing forces are concentrated, this will dramatically increase shoe wear. So a runner than lands with a midfoot strike will tend to spread the landing forces, where a runner that lands on the edge of the heel will focus the forces in a small area.